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Israel has decided to recall its diplomats from Turkey following accusations from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Israel is acting as a "war criminal." Erdogan made these comments during a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen responded by ordering the diplomats to return. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel by stating that it has the most moral army in the world. Israel has recently escalated its strikes on the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas' attack on southern Israel, which resulted in numerous casualties. Since then, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has reported that more than 7,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory strikes. Erdogan addressed a large crowd of Palestinian supporters and blamed the West for the massacre in Gaza, accusing Israel of war crimes and attempting to eradicate Palestinians. He also criticized Western leaders for not calling for a ceasefire or responding to the situation. Erdogan posted similar remarks on Twitter, urging Israel to stop the attacks. Immediately after Erdogan's speech, Israel's Foreign Minister Mr Cohen announced the recall of diplomats from Turkey to re-evaluate the relationship between the two countries. Netanyahu later defended Israel's actions, emphasizing that they aim to protect civilians and accused Hamas of using human shields. Israel and Turkey have had a history of strained relations. They were once close allies but severed ties in 2010 after clashes between Israeli commandos and Turkish activists aboard a Turkish-owned ship. Although Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization, it differs from countries like the US and UK, which do. Turkey has hosted Hamas members and supports a two-state solution.